March Madness: Final Four Picks And Sleeper Teams For 2012 NCAA Tournament

As you may have noticed, we’ve gone a little March Madness crazy here at MSF this month. What can I say? It’s what we do.

Personally, it’s my favorite time of the sports year, so why sleep or participate in recreational and/or social activities when there is always more NCAA Tournament analysis that can be done? Right? (Crickets…)

Anyway, with two thrilling First Four games last night, and two more coming tonight, then the always entertaining first full day of games on Thursday, we thought this would be a good time to give you our Final Four picks and sleeper teams.

Tyler Zeller dunks during a practice in the basketball arena on the flight deck aboard Nimitz-class aircraft carrier USS Carl Vinson. Could there be a North Carolina-Michigan State rematch in the NCAA Title Game? At least one MSF writer thinks so. (Photo by U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 2nd Class James R. Evans via Wikimedia Commons)

Jerod’s Final Four Picks and Sleeper Teams

As you know, I’ve contributed two sets of bracket predictions: one based strictly on the Four Factors and schedule strength (see here); and a second based on matchup analysis and my own personal gut feelings (see here). I’ve also gone on record with my upset picks for the 2012 NCAA Tournament.

Here is the recap:

“Four Factors” Final Four:

Midwest: #2 Kansas

South: #1 Kentucky

East: #2 Ohio State

West: #1 Michigan State

My national champion in this bracket is, of course, Kentucky, who will win any statistical battle you put them in with any team.

My “Gut Feeling” Final Four:

Midwest: #1 North Carolina

South: #4 Indiana

East: #2 Ohio State

West: #2 Missouri

My national champion in this bracket is North Carolina, the team with the best combo of size and talent out of the four.

Sleepers:

South #10 Xavier: They have excellent, experienced guards in Tu Holloway and Mark Lyons.

Midwest #14 Belmont: They are very good offensively and face a Georgetown team in Round 1 that has historically had issues early in Tournaments.

West #12 Long Beach State: Dan Monson is an excellent coach and Casper Ware is one of the best players in the Tournament…period.

Andy’s Final Four Picks and Sleeper Teams

His national championship pick, which he says made him come close to vomiting, was Kentucky.

Andy’s sleepers are as follow:

East #13 Montana: He likes them to beat Wisconsin in Round 1

West #13 Davidson: He likes them to eliminate Louisville in Round 1

West #5 New Mexico: Andy has Steve Alford’s bunch beating Michigan State in the Sweet 16 and going to the Elite 8.

Chris’ Final Four Picks and Sleeper Teams

Andy is not the only one who has New Mexico making a deep Tournament run. Chris Callaway also likes New Mexico to get to the Elite 8, and he also lists South Dakota State as a sleeper, expecting them to make the Sweet 16.

Here is Chris’ Final Four:

Midwest: #2 Kansas

South: #1 Kentucky

East: #3 Florida State

West: #2 Missouri

Chris’ National Championship pick is Kentucky over Kansas.

Jon’s Final Four Picks and Sleeper Teams

Jon Washburn, who has been regaling you all week long with his terrific college basketball What if… series actually predicts the biggest upset of not just the weekend, but the entire history of the Tournament: Jon thinks UNC-Asheville is going to beat the Fab Melo-less Syracuse Orange. Whoa. What if… indeed.

Jon also, like me, lists Belmont as a sleeper team.

Here is Jon’s Final Four:

Midwest: #2 Kansas

South: #3 Baylor

East: #2 Ohio State

West: #1 Michigan State

Jon has Baylor beating Kansas in the National Championship game.

But that’s enough with the dudes’ picks. How about a female perspective?

Amanda’s Final Four Picks and Sleeper Teams

Amanda Lawson, who for numerous reasons has started to wisely follow (and root for…don’t let her fool you with the Wisconsin stuff) the Indiana Hoosiers, has chosen last year’s Cinderella as her first round sleeper for this year; she picks VCU to beat Wichita State in the first round.

Her Final Four looks like this:

Midwest: #2 Kansas

South: #1 Kentucky

East: #4 Wisconsin

West: #2 Missouri

She chooses Kansas over Kentucky for the National Championship.

Brian’s Final Four Picks and Sleeper Teams

Brian, the lone Duke fan among our writing staff, really must have had a hard time submitting his picks…but at least we know he really believes it to go public with such blasphemy. His Final Four, which is parenthetical comments left in:

Midwest: #1 North Carolina (YUCK!)

South: #3 Baylor

East: #2 Ohio State

West: #1 Michigan State

And he chooses North Carolina (Bigger Yuck) to win it all.

His sleeper pick, like mine, is Xavier.

Jim’s Final Four Picks and Sleeper Teams

Jim also likes the Tar Heels, even predicting that the 2011-2012 season will end just as it began: with North Carolina taking on Michigan State.

Final Four:

Midwest: #1 North Carolina

South: #1 Kentucky

East: #2 Ohio State

West: #1 Michigan State

Jim thinks the result of that UNC-Michigan State rematch will be different however, as he has the Spartans cutting down the nets.

For sleepers, Jim chooses the 6th-seeded Murray State Racers to go all the way to the Elite 8 and #5 seed Wichita State to reach the Sweet 16 (though Brian has officially raised a complaint about a #5 seed being listed as a sleeper in the Sweet 16…).

Drew’s Final Four Picks and Sleeper Teams

Here is who Drew likes to reach New Orleans:

Midwest: #2 Kansas

South: #1 Kentucky

East: #4 Wisconsin

West: #2 Missouri

As for a sleeper, he has Colorado – which qualified only because it won the Pac-12 Tournament – in his Elite 8. Now that’s a ballsy sleeper pick folks!

Keith’s Final Four Picks and Sleeper Teams

Next up is Michigan Man Keith Mullett, who has decided that his Wolverines don’t quite have what it takes to reach the Final Four.

Derek’s Final Four Picks and Sleeper Teams

Derek, like Jon, is predicting some first round craziness. Not only does he claim to “agree” with Jon’s choice of UNC-Asheville over Syracuse in Round 1, he is picking 15th-seeded Lehigh to upend #2 seed Duke.

But his Final Four choices are far from crazy. Here are his picks:

Midwest: #1 North Carolina

South: #1 Kentucky

East: #2 Ohio State

West: #1 Michigan State

Derek takes Kentucky over UNC in the final.

Steve’s Final Four Picks and Sleeper Teams

Unfortunately, Steve Kubitza has also decided to side with Satan and predict a Kentucky national championship. He has the Wildcats beating Ohio State.

His Final Four:

Midwest: #1 North Carolina

South: #1 Kentucky

East: #2 Ohio State

West: #2 Missouri

Steve’s sleeper teams are Long Beach State and Belmont.

Josh’s Final Four Picks and Sleeper Teams

As for Josh Tinley, he refuses to go with a number of the usual suspects. Rather that bullet it out, I’ll just let him explain:

I have the problem of not being able to bring myself to put Kentucky, North Carolina, Duke, Kansas, or Connecticut in the Final Four. I can’t explain why. Maybe because those teams seem too obvious. (Though there’s obviously nothing obvious about Duke or UConn this year.)

So: Wichita State (Missouri Valley homer pick) v. Michigan State; Ohio State v. Georgetown (I originally had Belmont going to the Sweet 16, but I get nervous when so many analysts pick the same upset, so I went with Georgetown then decided that I liked the Hoyas’ post-Belmont path to New Orleans); Michigan State over Ohio State in the final. (I realize I’m not winning anything for this bracket.)

Sleepers: Long Beach and South Dakota State.

So there you go. A few ballsy picks from Josh to close things out.

**********

I’m sure more of our great writers will submit their picks as the day goes on, and I’ll update this post when they do. In the meantime, we’d love to get your picks. Comment below with your Final Four predictions and sleeper teams for the 2012 Tournament.

Comments

My Final Four consists of #1Kentucky, #3Florida State, #1North Carolina & #2Missouri. I have #1Kentucky beating #1North Carolina for the Championship. My sleepers are #8Memphis (to beat #1Michigan State & #5New Mexico), #11N.C. State, #12VCU, #13Davidson, #13Montana & #14Belmont. I also edited my bracket to have #8Kansas State beating #1Syracuse from having #5 Vanderbilt beating #1Syracuse in the following round because of the Fab Melo ordeal. I’d like to say that California would beat #5Temple, but that’s only assuming they can beat South Florida for the #12.

Good – I should definitely pronounce, impressed with your web site. I had no trouble navigating through all tabs as well as related info ended up being truly easy to do to access. I recently found what I hoped for before you know it at all. Reasonably unusual. Is likely to appreciate it for those who add forums or something, website theme . a tones way for your customer to communicate. Excellent task..